Edinburgh Royal Infirmary

[EmmaKateWH]

Just wondering what people's experiences have been of having babies at the RIE? I have heard some great stories, but mostly horror stories, so am feeling a bit worried! How did others get on? We don't live in Edinburgh at the moment but are moving up before the baby comes so it will be born there. I have never even been to the hospital so have no idea what to expect.

Have to say in my group of friends it was also a mixed bag but overall I'm very proud of my birth experience there.
Well the place is really new and shiney and I experienced the whole range of obstetric services on offer from a lovely reflexology foot massage with aromatherapy oils, awesome birthing pool, lovely, lovely trainee midwife with let me think four or was it five canisters of gas and air, and then a slightly more grumpy midwife and things went a bit pear shaped and I ended up with an emergency c-section - by a lovely group of medics, then the high dependency unit when I had a big bleed after. The aftercare in the postnatal ward was brilliant although my hubby did have to find people to help me bf (I was spaced from the bloodloss and not very focussed) and I do wish someone had dressed my son once they sent my hubby packing at 4am, while I lay zonked in high dependency. I still feel guilty about that as my hubby was too traumatised to think of this detail, and I was unconscious. Poor little bugger stayed wrapped in his big blankie for over 24 hours until someone prompted my hubby to oooh I dunno dress him! Also noone ever came to talk to me about why the section was necessary so it took eight months until I decided to get my notes to find out. Turns out what they mistakenly wrote in my discharge sheet 'transverse baby' was actually an 'occipital transverse' baby according to the surgeon that delivered him. Having said all that if my pelvis had been big enough or my son something slightly smaller than 98th centile I would have nothing but praise for the place!

thanks - that sounds good!

I had my first there in February and it was really good. The midwives were all really supportive and extremely encouraging although I was lucky enough to have a straight forward birth. I unfortunately came in too late for anything stronger than G&A but they really helped me with my breathing (I hadn't bothered going to the antenatal classes to learn about the breathing etc) and responded well to requests which my mother made on my behalf (I suppose it was like a verbal birth plan). I never planned to stay over night & the midwives understood this and tried to help and follow up on blood tests (I'm rh-) as fast as possible so I could go home as I wanted. They also produced good quality tea and toast for DH, my mother and I afterwards. Lastly if you look at the bfing rates for those who have a baby in Scotland, this hospital has the best I believe...
please see the link to the word.doc on breastfeeding by hospital

i do admit on second thoughts that the results there are quite old, but it doesn't take away from the fact that I found the care extremely good and am pleased I didn't choose to go to St John's in Livingston...

thanks bumble - that is particularly reassuring as like you I have no intention of staying overnight. I am tempted by a home birth, solely to avoid spending any length of time in hospital, but on balance I think I will go for a hospital birth (my dr sister thinks to do otherwise is mental!!), it is reassuring to know that they will support you in getting home asap if that is your plan. The other thing I am worried about, if I do have to stay in, is whether or not they chuck out your DH at the end of visiting hours. I desperately want him to be able to stay as long as I want him to! Any idea what the RIE policy is on that?

not sure exactly but in my case, DD was born at 11.30 am, and we left at about 11pm and at no time did they try to chuck DH out or move me from my nice separate room, even though they weren't completely sure I'd get to go home just because the labs took a bit of time. I had originally been told I could leave after 6 hours if I wanted to, but it depended on getting the bloods back in time. So I think a straightforward birth with rh+ mother would get out after 6 hours if they wanted to.

wow!! A separate room and home the same day with DH there the whole time. this is basically the best case scenario as far as I am concerned. I will be crossing my fingers for a repeat of your experience. On some other threads about hospitals people mention paying extra for a private room. I would be delighted to do this but as far as I am aware this is not option at RIE? I suppose if you get your own room anyway it doesn't matter. thanks for cheering me up.

I have no idea about paying for a room, all I know was that was the room I was given... I think people are talking about paying for a private room if they stay overnight, but as I also said, they never tried to shift me at all.

The room was nice, with a curtain separating the delivery room from the bathroom (surprisingly good as I kept getting up to pee as didn't want to wet myself at any point), and also appeared to have a very big bath in there incase I'd wanted a waterbirth I suppose, but as I didn't mention it, it wasn't suggested. They originally suggested that I give birth on this strangely shaped almost sofa type thing (I think its designed so that women can move around it and keep active etc) but I chose the bed. Basically they give you lots of options, and I didn't feel pressured to choose one I didn't want.

I know for future births I'd be happy to go there again as it was great to just leave all the mess behind me and take my nice new baby back to a clean house.

How long your hubby gets to stay depends on the time of day you give birth. So if you can pop out jnr sometime in the morning that's best I had my em-c section at 23.40 at night and I'm afraid the policy on DHs is to chuck em out on an evening - my hubby had to leave me in high dependency and go home at 4am. To be fair though if you are in a shared wards it's only fair on the other women, all in a very vulnerable post birth condition, that there aren't strange (to them!) men wandering about. That said a friend of mine got a bit stroppy and they let her hubby to stay. As for keeping a room of your own that depends entirely on how busy the unit is, so is a bit hit and miss. And last but not least if you are moving up and want to make some mum friends can I recommend the Pregnancy and Parents Centre. Google them, they are an awesome local charity and resource centre offering yoga, home birth/active birth workshops, counselling, hire of birthing equipment and lots of support and fun gatherings for mums and babies afterwards. I moved up here at 30 weeks pregnant and between that and my NCT group that's how I settled in. And last but not least - I too intended to have a home birth but decided I'd save it for my second child once I'd done a trial run with DS in hospital. Am awfully glad I did that and while I intend to aim for a waterbirth in future, I'll be doing it where a nice high dependency unit and access to blood transfusion facilities are close at hand. However if things had gone to plan I'd be keen to home birth, it's just not for me and this potentially duff pelvis. Anyway good luck!